The angered mob torched buses and autorickshaws.

The situation was brought under control on Monday after police was deployed in the sensitive areas.

Shanker Sonvane, a resident of Modi estate in Navagam Dindoli lodged a complaint in this connection against unidentified persons with the Limbayat police station on Sunday.

He alleged in his complaint that he found photos of Shivaji and Dr B R Ambedkar outside his house on Sunday afternoon. There were also pairs of sandals lying nearby. The teaser had UP government written on the photograph.

Sonvane immediately informed his neighbours about the incident. Slowly news of the insult to Shivaji and Dr Ambedkar spread like a wildfire across the Limbayat and Udhna areas. A huge mob gathered at the Dindoli area and they showed their anger by pelting stones on rickshaws and the city buses.

The police immediately rushed to the spot and resorted to a lathicharge to bring the situation under control.

Limbayat Inspector R L Patel said: “The Limbayat and Dindoli areas are dominated by people from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. We have tackled the situation seriously as we don’t want to take any risk. The incident is sensitive and we have started investigations. We have found that a couple of days ago, a quarrel erupted between a Marathi woman and another woman from UP over some issue. We suspect the quarrel might have led to this incident. We have called the two women and are now interrogating them.”

C R Patil, a Marathi political leader, said: “Somebody is trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of Surat city by indulging in such acts.